The Seven Sister States of North East India

The Seven Sister States of North East India

Sikkim

Introducing The Seven Sister States of North East India

North East India is a world in itself, and a world apart. Literally. Usually referred to collectively as the North East, the sister states are geographically attached to India only by a thin thread. These states only perform in national observation when something major occurs. Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram and Nagaland, Sikkim and Assam together form Seven Sister States of North East India. Due to being tough to access, they have been off the tourist trail until very recently, though are now ebbing their way in.

Traditional wear of Manipur

In my opinion, these far reaches of the Indian subcontinent are capable of taking away a large chunk of Indian tourism. But, they don’t bother. Happy in their own world, the stunning North Eastern states of Assam, with its tea gardens, Meghalaya with its tree root bridges, Sikkim with its vibrant Bhutanese culture and virgin, out-of-the-world gorgeous, mountain flanked landscapes have been keeping their beauty to themselves.

North East India for the backpacker

The seven sister states of North East India also pack a host of tribes and cultures, with divergent rituals and customs, some of who still live in the jungles. Almost every major tribe has its own language, attire and rules, and every second tribe has a number of different gods that they worship. The hundreds of nature loving tribes of the North East prefer their privacy, yet are endearingly friendly and welcoming. Their culture is influenced by neighbors Burma, China and Tibet. The North Eastern part of India lends greatly to its cultural and religious diversity. So, time your visit so that you are able to attend some of the tribal festivals of here.

backpacker map of North East India; pic courtesy theydrawandtravel.com

Lying completely in the Himalayan mountain range, The North Eastern corner of India is packed with visual delights. The complete abundance of untouched beauty and a different scenery to stun you at every bend.

It is tough to genralise, but the people here are basically simple and friendly, and mind their own business. Most locals, born and bred here, and having never ventured out, take their paradise like natural surroundings for granted.

The only drawbacks in these areas are their political unrest, and the fact that certain states require entry permits.

Weather and the best time to visit

Lying in cold, mountainous regions, summertime is the recommended time to visit. Visiting between March and October is ideal.

Seven Sister States of North East India: Tea Plantations in Assam

Where to go

Kaziranga National Park

Take an elephant safari to spot massive Rhinos.

Tawang Valley

AKA Little Tibet, sunk in between massive mountains, is reached by crossing the 4176m high mountain pass of Se La.

Cherrapunjee

Is the striking rain capital of India, inspired many a famous poets and songwriters who have composed on the Megh Raaga (a progression scale of Indian classical music which requires decades to master, and if performed perfectly, is believed to create rain out of thin air).

Fishing in Assam

Sikkim

With colourful monasteries rising out from scenic, virgin landscapes, and snow-capped mountains, every waking moment in Sikkim is a visual treat.

To explore the thousands of facets of the life and culture and the hundreds of places to visit, the seven sisters deserve a dedicated two to three month backpacking trip, and should be a must do for every traveler.